Reclamation work brings lush land to Aiximan

Rain fell in the Aiximan area in Awat county of Aksu prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on the afternoon of April 14. We were there to learn about the county's sand-control efforts.

Located on the northwestern outskirts of the Taklimakan Desert — China's largest desert — this landscape has transformed in just five years from barren clay pans and sand dunes into a haven where desert bushes and shrubs thrive, and Aiximan Lake has swelled from a small pond into a flourishing wetland. Mallards, cormorants and storks fly overhead as other wild animals roam.

Locals told us this was the third shower this spring. The day before, another rainfall had swept through the county, leaving behind the clear blue sky we were enjoying. They said this is the second year in a row — and only the second time in their lives — that they have seen the spring rain. Previously, storms came only a few times each summer.

The rare downpour did little to temper the desert sun. Raindrops hit my white hoodie, leaving coin-sized spots. Yet when they dried, no dirt remained.

As the rain came, a ranger, Yusupjan Alim, was showing us wildlife photos and videos from his patrols. One image captures an egret perched erect and graceful on a power line. In a video clip, a wild fox runs across the frozen winter lake.

The 38-year-old and his three colleagues are responsible for patrolling about 10,000 hectares of human-made shrubland, preventing fires, deterring poachers, operating drip irrigation and maintaining equipment.

Yusupjan Alim recalled that when he was transferred here in 2021, the land was desolate — tall dunes, a few tamarisk shrubs, not a single reed. Now, many drought-resistant saxaul trees have grown taller than an adult. He and colleagues regularly spot Yarkand hares, pheasants, foxes and even wild boars.

The Aiximan area lies west of the Aksu River Basin, the largest source stream of the Tarim River — China's longest inland river. It comprises Aiximan Lake and the surrounding areas. The lake is formed by water accumulating in a low-lying area at the edge of the river's alluvial fan.

Once an ecologically fragile zone within a vast urban oasis, the area suffered severe desertification, soil erosion and wetland degradation. Alongside the Taklimakan Desert, it was the major source of the sandstorms that battered Awat and neighboring areas.

Starting from 2021, Aksu prefecture has conducted a large-scale ecological restoration and desertification control project in the Aiximan area, raising the area's greenery coverage from 4.5 percent to 45 percent. The project has become a benchmark for biological sand control in the broader campaign to block desert encroachment along the Taklimakan fringe.

According to Jiang Lili, secretary of the leading Party members group of Awat's forestry and grassland bureau, more than 65,000 hectares have been ecologically restored, with Awat accounting for about 81 percent of the total. This has been achieved through sand fixation via natural recovery, grassland improvement and wetland restoration, as well as afforestation and grass planting that rely primarily on human intervention.

A key highlight is efficient water use. In addition to shallow groundwater, afforestation has been made possible by an initiative that built 45 kilometers of pipelines and 7.9 km of diversion canals. These deliver approximately 50 million cubic meters of advanced-treated reclaimed water from domestic sewage each year from neighboring, more populous Aksu city and Wensu county to irrigate planted shelterbelts and timber forests.

Jiang said the Aiximan area is among the first in Xinjiang to use reclaimed water this way. Planting efforts are guided by water availability, meaning the number of trees must be limited by available water resources. The nutrients in reclaimed water benefit plant growth, and as the trees grow, they further purify the water, generating additional ecological gains.

According to her, the water area of the lake has expanded to more than 1,300 hectares, and among the timber forests planted in 2021, some trunks have now reached roughly eight centimeters in diameter.

A previous report in Xinjiang Daily quoted the county's natural resources bureau as saying that by utilizing reclaimed water, the project reallocates displaced water from the Aksu River to replenish Aiximan Lake, while also installing water-saving irrigation facilities.

The report noted that the lake's water level has risen by an average of 30 cm, soluble salt content has dropped by 61 percent, and groundwater levels have increased by an average of 60 cm. Wetland ecosystems and biodiversity have steadily improved, while forest and grass cover have grown by 2,200 hectares.

Jiang said plant varieties have increased by some 20 species, including saxaul, tamarisk, elm, desert poplar, four-wing saltbush and oleaster.

When planting a desert from scratch, success is never guaranteed. Since 2021, Nurjamal Amdulla, a technical staff member at Awat's forestry and grassland bureau, has been experimenting with plant cultivation and drip irrigation while training volunteers.

Each spring and autumn, about 5,000 volunteers plant trees here. During planting seasons, Nurjamal Amdulla came daily to provide technical guidance. Otherwise, she visited every 15 days to check irrigation and monitor survival rates.

This spring alone, volunteers from Aksu prefecture and Alaer city of the 1st Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps planted 200 hectares of sea-buckthorn seedlings, enclosing them with wire mesh to prevent wildlife gnawing.

Lessons have been learned through repeated setbacks: the order of interplanting, how to position drip points and adjust valves when water cannot reach high dunes. During the first winter, reclaimed water froze inside the drip system, bursting the pipes and splashing onto their faces, soaking their clothes.

Nurjamal Amdulla said the full process is about experimenting beyond textbook knowledge while adapting to real conditions. Hole sizes vary by species. Seedlings must be watered the day they are planted, placed exactly where drip outlets deliver water and the soil packed around the roots is critical.

The first year, few believed the seedlings could survive. By spring 2022, seeing the growing trees, they had enough confidence to push back against the skeptics.

Nurjamal Amdulla said her work involves a lot of walking alone in the seemingly endless wilderness, yet it all paid back as environmental benefits became apparent last year. After four years of growth, the plants were able to stabilize and hold the sand.

"Back in 2012, when I started working at the bureau, the wind blew relentlessly in spring. Sandstorms often lasted for weeks. These days, although there are still sandstorms, they last only several days and are not that severe," she added, marveling at the spring rains too.

Jiang added that since the project was completed last year, they have shifted focus to replanting failed seedlings and exploring economically viable varieties to offset maintenance cost, using revenue from economic forests to support ecological forests.

This was my second visit to the Aiximan area. In October, after a bumpy ride through dunes and a short walk through a dense grove, the wetland appeared: the surface of the water shimmered and rippled. Lush green trees surrounded the shore. Tall golden reeds stood in the wetland. Flocks of birds rested on the water or glided overhead, their white wings glistening in the sunlight. I almost forgot I was at the heart of a barren land that locals had just tamed.

Mao Weihua in Urumqi contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at fangaiqing@chinadaily.com.cn